Chapter 129 Meeting
The days of anticipation and anxiety passed by very slowly, yet also seemed to pass very quickly.
After I had almost memorized the prepared materials and rehearsed every possible sentence I might say during the meeting in my mind eight hundred times, the important day finally arrived.
The meeting was scheduled for Saturday night at a private restaurant with a quiet environment and good privacy.
Lin Yan said that this kind of place is suitable for quiet chatting. It is not as restrictive as a Western restaurant, but more stylish than an ordinary restaurant.
Since I woke up in the morning, my heart rate has never dropped below 120.
It took her a long time to choose clothes, and she tried on seven or eight sets. Finally, under Lin Yan's remote command ("Wear that light gray sweater, it looks gentle and not too casual"), she chose an outfit that made her look most like a "good student who is serious about technology."
I couldn't concentrate on doing anything in the afternoon. Sometimes I would check my PPT, sometimes I would think a certain question was too stupid and want to delete it, and sometimes I would worry about being late because of traffic.
Lin Yan sent me a message saying that he would come to pick me up and asked me not to worry.
When he got downstairs, I rushed down with my computer bag, opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat, my breathing still a little rapid.
Lin Yan wore a well-tailored dark casual suit today, without a tie. He looked less business-like and more calm and gentle than usual.
Seeing how nervous I was, he couldn't help but laugh. He reached out and pinched my face: "Relax, baby. We're just having a meal and chatting, not going to defend our thesis."
"I know...but...that's Ling Xiao!"
I made a sad face and said, "I feel like I might become incoherent later, or my hands might shake and spill the water..."
"That's okay," Lin Yan said in a relaxed tone as he started the car. "If you spill something, I'll wipe it up for you. If you talk nonsense, I'll replenish it for you. Don't worry, I'm here for you."
His words seemed to work like magic, calming my agitated nerves a little.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.
We arrived at the restaurant's private room ten minutes earlier than the agreed time.
The waiter had just poured us tea when there was a knock on the door of the private room.
My heart instantly rose to my throat!
Lin Yan responded calmly, "Come in."
The door was pushed open and a figure walked in.
Similar to the photos I saw online, Mr. Ling Xiao himself looked to be about thirty-five or thirty-six years old. He wore a pair of black-framed glasses and a simple plaid shirt and casual pants. He had a very gentle temperament, even a bit bookish. He didn't look like a top technical expert in the industry at all.
He had a gentle smile on his face, and his eyes first fell on Lin Yan: "Mr. Lin, I've heard a lot about you."
Lin Yan immediately stood up and shook hands with him politely: "Mr. Ling, you are too polite. I should have heard of you for a long time. Thank you for your presence."
Then, Ling Xiao turned his gaze to me, his smile still gentle: "This is classmate Chen Rui, right?"
I stood up so quickly I nearly knocked over my chair. My face flushed red, and my tongue seemed to be tied. "Hello, Teacher Ling! I'm Chen Rui! I'm so glad to meet you! I'm your fan!" — That's it! I finally said this most corny line!
Ling Xiao seemed amused by my reaction. He pushed up his glasses and said in a casual tone, "Don't be nervous, Chen. Just call me Ling Xiao or Ling Gong. I don't dare to be called 'teacher'. Mr. Lin praised you to the skies, saying that you have great enthusiasm and ideas for game AI. I'm looking forward to communicating with you."
Only then did I relax a little and secretly glanced at Lin Yan. He was looking at me with a smile and encouragement in his eyes.
After we were seated, the dishes began to be served.
Lin Yan naturally took the lead in the opening, chatting about general topics such as industry dynamics and technological trends, and the atmosphere gradually became harmonious.
Ling Xiao is indeed as the rumors say, low-key and pragmatic, speaks clearly and without airs.
After a few cups of tea, my nervousness subsided a lot.
While we were discussing a relevant technical point, I plucked up the courage and opened the laptop I brought with me.
"Engineer Ling, um... I'm currently working on a small project and I've run into some problems... I was wondering if... could you take a moment of your time to help me take a look?"
I spoke so carefully that my palms were sweating.
Ling Xiao nodded readily: "Of course, take it out and let's see it. Only communication can create sparks."
I felt like I had been pardoned. I quickly pulled out my PPT and began to haltingly explain my plug-in design ideas and the current bottlenecks I encountered.
I was a little stuttering at first, but once I entered the technical field I was familiar with, my language gradually became fluent.
Ling Xiao listened very carefully, nodding from time to time, or asking one or two key questions, all of which hit the nail on the head.
He did not give a direct answer, but led me to think:
“Why did you choose to use a rules engine instead of a deep learning model here? Have you considered a hybrid approach?”
“Is it possible to introduce more randomness into this feedback loop design to avoid behavioral stereotyping?”
Every question he asked made me feel like I had suddenly realized something, as if a new door had opened!
I quickly took out my notebook and wrote it down, forgetting to be nervous.
Lin Yan listened quietly by the side, occasionally helping me supplement the presentation on the computer, and most of the time just smiling and refilling our tea, playing the role of a perfect "matchmaker" and "supporter".
The discussion became more and more in-depth, and I was completely immersed in the world of technology. I even began to actively propose some bold ideas and discuss them with Ling Xiao.
He also showed great interest and tolerance in some of my whimsical ideas and did not look down on me just because I was a student.
“…So, maybe we can try to use a dynamic weight distribution mechanism to balance scripted behavior and emergent behavior?” I concluded excitedly.
Ling Xiao nodded approvingly. "It's a very creative idea! Although it's quite challenging to implement, it's worth a try. Chen, you have an active mind. It's important to maintain this spirit of exploration."
I was so happy to get the recognition from my idol that I almost took off!
Her face was flushed with excitement and her eyes were surprisingly bright.
At this moment, Lin Yan, who had been watching quietly, suddenly spoke up. His tone was natural, as if it was just a casual remark: "Engineer Ling, you are too kind. Ruirui is indeed very talented in this area and is willing to work hard. For this project, he often stays in the lab late into the night. It makes me sad to see him."
As he spoke, he naturally extended his hand across the table and gently shook my hand, looking at me tenderly: "Don't stay up so late next time, do you hear me?"
I:"!!!"
My face suddenly turned red again!
Lin Yan! What are you doing?! In front of the great master! Why are you saying this?! And, grabbing my hand!
I tried to pull my hand back as if I had been electrocuted, but Lin Yan held it tightly. He even deliberately rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb!
I couldn't bear to look at Ling Xiao's expression! It was so embarrassing! A scene of social death!
Ling Xiao was obviously stunned for a moment. He looked at Lin Yan, then at my flushed face and the hand he was holding. A hint of understanding and... a mischievous smile flashed in his eyes behind the lenses?
He pushed his glasses up, his tone becoming playful. "It seems that Mr. Lin is not only a good partner in business, but also cares deeply about Mr. Chen in life."
Lin Yan remained calm, even smiling with a hint of pride: "He's my own child, so of course I have to keep an eye on him. Otherwise, he'll forget to eat and sleep once he gets too absorbed in the subject."
Ling Xiao nodded and said meaningfully, "I understand. It's great to be young. There's passion, and there are also... people who support each other."
When he said this, a hint of nostalgia seemed to flash across his eyes. Perhaps he was remembering the time when he struggled in his youth?
I wanted to bury my face in the bowl! My toes dug a magic castle out of my shoes!
Lin Yan is such a jealous person! He definitely did it on purpose!
Using this way of asserting sovereignty to interrupt the technical communication between me and the great god!
Although... although it didn't seem to have any bad effects, and instead made the atmosphere more relaxed? But I still really want to hit him!
In the following conversation, Ling Xiao seemed more relaxed and even made a few jokes occasionally.
Lin Yan also resumed his previous leadership and skillfully brought the topic back to technology and the possibility of cooperation.
The meal lasted almost three hours, mainly involving technical and industry exchanges. The overall atmosphere was very pleasant and efficient.
At the end, Ling Xiao took the initiative to add me on WeChat, saying that we could communicate at any time if we had any technical problems in the future (of course, on the premise that it did not involve his company's secrets).
I was so excited that I almost did a spin on the spot!
After seeing Ling Xiao off and getting back in the car, I was still immersed in the great joy of meeting my idol and getting his guidance. I held my phone and smiled foolishly at the newly added contact information.
"Are you happy?" Lin Yan fastened his seat belt and looked at me sideways with a smile on his lips.
"Yeah! Super happy!" I nodded vigorously. "Master Ling Xiao is so nice! He's not arrogant at all! And he's really amazing! The few points he raised made my thinking become clear all of a sudden! Lin Yan! Thank you! You're awesome!"
I leaned over and gave him a big kiss on the face.
Lin Yan accepted the kiss with satisfaction, and then said slowly: "As long as you are happy. But..."
He paused, his eyes becoming a little dangerous. He leaned closer to me and lowered his voice, "Wife, weren't the eyes you looked at him in just now a little too bright? Hmm? For three whole hours, you seemed to have completely forgotten that your husband and I were right here, right?"
I:"……"
Sure enough! The reckoning has come!
I quickly hugged his arm and acted coquettishly: "No way! I've always been thanking you in my heart! Without you, there would be no such opportunity! You are the biggest hero! I love you the most!"
Lin Yan snorted, clearly not someone who could be fooled so easily: "Just saying it won't do... When you go back tonight, you have to 'compensate' me."
My face turned red again and I muttered softly, "... hooligan."
"Only to you." He chuckled and started the car.
As the car drove into the night, I looked at the lights passing by outside the window, and my heart was filled with a great sense of satisfaction and happiness.
Life has come this far, what else could one ask for?
It's just... the butt might need some help.
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